


Time and Distance

by kiyala



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: College, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 13:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10595244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: Matsukawa is attending university in Kyoto. Hanamaki comes to visit.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [earlgrey_milktea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlgrey_milktea/gifts).



"I'm coming to visit you," Takahiro tells him over the phone one morning as Issei walks to the library.

"Uh huh," Issei replies. Takahiro is trying to sound threatening, can't keep the excitement out of his voice. Not that Issei is having much success keeping smile off his face either, but at least Takahiro can't see that. "When?"

"We have mid-semester break from next week," Takahiro replies, and he doesn't specify further.

"You can have the couch," Issei tells him.

"The cursed couch?" Takahiro asks. The first week that Issei had picked up the second-hand couch, three appliances in the dorm's shared kitchen had broken. It still hasn't shaken off the notoriety. "Nice."

Issei doesn't mention the fact that he knows his roommate is going home for the mid-semester break, and that they've both already spoken about being okay with guests taking their beds while they're away. He suspects that Takahiro somehow knows anyway; he's good at tricking people but that's never seemed to work on Takahiro. Then again, Takahiro's never really been good at surprising him either. 

Or so Issei thinks, blinking with surprise that Friday when he walks out of his last lecture of the afternoon, stopping in his tracks as he sees a head of familiarly champagne pink hair in the sea of students walking between lecture blocks. He walks over, huffing to himself in amusement when he realises that he's right near his favourite on-campus café. Of course Takahiro would find him using landmarks such as these. 

"Aren't you a little early?" Issei asks, sitting down on the bench beside Takahiro. He doesn't make direct eye contact just yet, choosing to savour this moment instead. Right now, it just feels like they're friends that have casually bumped into each other by chance. It makes the usual distance between them drop away into nothing, for just a while. "Didn't realise you were so eager to see me."

"You really think that much of yourself, huh?" Takahiro must understand what Issei is feeling because he doesn't turn to look either. Instead, he lifts his gaze to the trees framing this particular courtyard, their branches weighted with sakura blossoms. "I haven't been to Kyoto for years, you know. I wanted to go sight-seeing." 

"What a tourist," Issei mutters, shaking his head, but he can't keep the grin off his face any longer, can't stop himself from turning to take in the sight of Takahiro, nineteen, perhaps a tiny bit taller than the last time they saw each other, significantly more sleep-deprived. "You have eye bags." 

"You're one to talk," Takahiro replies, but he's taking Issei in just the same way. He snorts a little, reaching over and ruffling Issei's hair. "You need a hair cut." 

"I always need a hair cut," Issei dismisses. He means to knock Takahiro's hand away, but ends up holding onto his wrist instead, pulling it away but not quite letting go. He exhales slowly and doesn't actually say, _I've missed you_ , but he thinks it loudly enough that it probably counts anyway. His fingers relax around Takahiro's wrist, enough to let him pull his hand away. He's quietly pleased when Takahiro doesn't, leaning into his side instead so their shoulders are pressed against each other. 

"I don't have class on Fridays," Takahiro says, as if Issei doesn't know his timetable. "I thought I'd visit early. Spend longer here, if you're okay with that." 

"I'm not at all okay with that," Issei replies, mock-serious. "You'll have to turn around and return to Miyagi. Immediately." 

"What an asshole," Takahiro snickers, elbowing Issei in the side. "Are you hungry?"

There are several small restaurants, both on and off campus, that Issei likes to eat at. He ends up taking Takahiro to his favourite ramen place, a little reminiscent of the old joint that they used to go to after practice in high school. He knows that Takahiro can see the resemblance too, in the way he looks around as they walk in. 

"Over here," Issei says, leading the way around to the corner and sitting down. He likes sitting facing the doorway because it means that he has a good view of the people coming and going as he eats. 

Takahiro sits beside him, looking around at the restaurant's decor before he finally picks up the menu. Issei already knows what he's going to order, the same way Takahiro can probably predict his order too. It's nice knowing that these sorts of things don't change, not as quickly as everything else in their lives. 

"Iwaizumi's gone to Tokyo over the break," Takahiro tells him as they eat. "To visit Oikawa."

Issei isn't surprised, the same way he isn't surprised that Takahiro is here instead of Tokyo. 

"You just had to be difficult and move further away," Takahiro grumbles, but his tone is light. He's not blaming Issei at all, but it still makes him feel a little guilty. Takahiro nudges him with an elbow, before he can apologise for prioritising himself over the convenience of being close to his friends. "Taking the shinkansen down isn't the end of the world, you know."

"Could have been," Issei replies, "from the way you talked about it the first time I said I was coming here." 

"Oikawa used to act like the world was ending every time the convenience store near the train station ran out of milk bread," Takahiro points out. "That's just the language we speak in." 

" _Drama_ ," Issei nods sagely. He pokes his chopsticks at the vegetables floating in his broth. "I'm glad you did, though. Take the shinkansen down." 

Takahiro exhales softly. It could be a sigh or a weak laugh, Issei isn't entirely sure; he can't analyse Takahiro's feelings at the same time he's analysing his own and right now, he feels a little empty. It's not the way he should be feeling when Takahiro is right here with him; it shouldn't be making him feel _lonelier_. 

"Matsukawa?" Takahiro notices. Of course he does. 

"I'm full," Issei lies, but Takahiro doesn't call him out on it. They get up, pay, and walk down the street, a little aimless. Issei belatedly realises that Takahiro isn't familiar with these streets and is just following him, but he seems happy enough to wander. 

They're crossing a bridge when a cyclist barrels past them, pushing them closer. Issei reaches out, taking Takahiro's hand without thought, and he doesn't let go. Takahiro grips back, just as tightly, and they keep walking until they reach a park, where the trees are even heavier with sakura blossoms and the air smells sweet. 

"Hey," Takahiro says, pulling him under a tree and turning around to face him. "I came all the way here to tell you I missed you." 

"I know," Issei replies, not entirely sure if he means that he knows Takahiro misses him, or if that was the purpose of his trip, or even both. 

"I don't know if you know the next part." Takahiro glances down at their joined hands. "Maybe you already do." 

"Tell me," Issei murmurs.

Takahiro does, taking a step closer, gripping Issei's hand tighter. He wraps his other arm around Issei's shoulder and kisses him, brief but firm, sure of himself in this the way he is with everything else he does. He pulls back, but Issei stops him with a hand on his back, kissing him for longer this time. 

"I think I knew that too," Issei hums against Takahiro's lips, feeling them curve into a smile. "Did you steal this from a shoujo manga?" 

"Yeah," Takahiro replies, and he doesn't move back, his words coming out as warm puffs of breath against Issei's mouth. "One of yours." 

Issei snorts, wrapping his arm around Takahiro a little tighter. "Tell me again."

When Takahiro kisses him this time, Issei cups his cheek and deepens it. He realises it isn't loneliness that he feels sitting inside his chest. It's something else entirely, equal parts happiness and longing. _Love_ , maybe. He kisses Takahiro back for now, deciding that he'll take the time to explore the feeling in depth later. For now, the usual distance between them is gone. For now, they have time.


End file.
